Sound Off for Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014

On liberals: The liberals have been in charge for nearly six years, and not only is the country a mess, but look around. The world is in flames because liberalism is a pathetic failure every time it’s tried.

On Wounded Partners: The new efforts will give local veterans a helping paw. It’s a wonderful thing that Linn Krafjack is doing, and I say more power to you. How can we sign up for volunteer help?

On election: Get out and vote. I am 75 years old and have voted in every election since I was of age. It is my duty and privilege, and I don’t let anyone intimidate me into voting their way. I think for myself. If you don’t like the system, vote and try to change things. If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain.

On BTC referendum: Tom Eckert says that a good chunk of the $4 million Blackhawk Tech referendum would go to increase salaries of employees. That is not a justifiable purpose and why I will be voting against it.

On Senate race: I am not surprised that Janis Ringhand and Mike Sheridan are using the same vague responses to questions, whereas Austin Scieszinski is focused and has specific ideas to resolve issues at hand. That’s why I’m voting for Austin Scieszinski.

-- Scieszinski has more experience working in the state Senate than Ringhand and Sheridan combined. My vote is for Scieszinski.

-- After seeing all three state Senate candidates discuss their positions at the fair, there’s only one that had the fire in the belly to be a strong voice for us, and that’s Austin Scieszinski. I’ll be voting for him with enthusiasm.

-- Before this race, I had never heard of Janis Ringhand, but I looked it up, and it surprised me because she’s been my representative for two years. I don’t think she spent her time in Madison very productively if I don’t know who she is.

-- I had not ever heard much about Janis Ringhand, but now I know she prioritizes fundraisers in Madison with lobbyists over debates in communities here in the Senate district. That’s the type of attitude we need to get rid of in Madison.

-- One candidate in the 15th Senate District primary has little to no experience. Another candidate is lacking assertiveness and is nearing retirement. Mike Sheridan is just right. He has the experience and the relationships to get the job done and is hungry and energetic with a bright future.

-- This has to do with Sheridan criticizing that Scieszinski has no experience. I think it would be refreshing to send somebody there that doesn’t have experience because we’ve seen what Sheridan’s experience has done to the office that he once held. Embarrassing.

-- So now Tim Cullen isn’t supposed to support a candidate in the upcoming election. My goodness, such animosity. We all know this goes back to the Democrats going to Illinois after Scott Walker became governor. For all the input he and the rest of the Democrats have and what passes for legislation in Madison these days, they could still be there.

On the fairgrounds: Rock County deserves better than a fairgrounds the size of a postage stamp. Large crowds in our grandstand pose safety concerns, as seen last year. We had 69,000 attend this year. Walworth County averages between 130,000 and 140,000 per year. It’s a better fair with a lot more to see. More barns, more everything. Get on track, Rock County.

On car burglaries: I don’t understand residents who have these items that are not inexpensive leaving them in their vehicles. Take your wallets, purses and other items inside your homes where they will be safe.

On insensitive driver: While it’s a shame and awful that the dog did get run over and the driver didn’t stop, the caller goes on to say that the dog was running loose and that the dog had snuck out and nobody knew. As a pet owner, you are responsible to know where that pet is.

On Sen. Johnson: Can someone explain why we residents of this great state voted out an intelligent, clear-thinking statesman that we had in Russ Feingold for a partisan short-sighted man like Ron Johnson?

On city council: After reading City Council President Severson’s reference to the council representing all residents in Janesville, I would be interested to know just exactly who they supposedly were representing when the fire station project was being discussed behind closed doors. Obviously, it wasn’t the 12 property owners who have lost their homes or the thousands of petition signers.

On governor’s race: So we have a liberal Democrat named Mary Burke promising you she wants to cut your taxes. If this sound familiar, it’s because Jim Doyle told us the same thing, but after he got elected, he raised your taxes. And Bill Clinton told us the same thing, and after he was elected, he raised your taxes. So the question is how many times Charlie Brown are you going to trust Lucy to hold that football.

On skate park: I was thinking it was all set that the skate park would be at Palmer Park. That way, it would not disturb any residents. Already, the police department has it figured out they can use two streets to patrol Bond Park. That should tell us something about what to expect, wouldn’t you say? I think this should be reconsidered.

On Janesville: I have a new name for the City of Parks in Janesville. I call it the city of burglars.

On Leonard Pitts: Ouch! It must have been truly painful for Leonard Pitts to use words like serious, substantive and interesting in writing about Paul Ryan.